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Stories of American Heroes - Brought to you from the "Home of Heroes" - Pueblo, Colorado
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Stories of American Heroes - Brought to you from the "Home of Heroes" - Pueblo, Colorado |
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Leon Robert Vance, Jr. |
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TAPS Fading light dims the sight, |
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Lieutenant
Colonel Vance led his B-24 bomb group against enemy costal
positions near Wimereaux, France on June 5, 1944. Antiaircraft
fire destroyed three engines, killed the pilot, wounded several
crew members, and nearly severed Colonel Vance's right foot.
Despite this, he bombed successfully and then glided toward the
English coast where he gave the bail-out order. Believing a
wounded crew member could not jump, he ditched the plane in the
channel while lying on the floor. As the aircraft sank, it
exploded, throwing him clear. He swam back to the wreckage and
continued to seek the injured crew member until rescued. 
